Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)

Projects are aimed at supporting the local Church structures, the priests, seminarians, catechists, sisters, their formation and work helping others, as well as restoring peace through the proclamation of the gospel and respectful dialogue with many religions around the world: ACN is committed to reconciliation and raising awareness about religious freedom.

ACN currently has a large programme of assistance in the Middle East, namely helping Iraqi Christian refugees return to their homes.

The regional focus of ACN's aid projects is Africa, Asia and Latin America, but since the start of the war in Syria, the Middle East has taken centre stage. Once the cradle of Christianity, it has been regarded as the world’s number one trouble spot for many years. Syria and Iraq, in particular, face complete destabilisation, with hundreds of thousands of victims of war and terror, millions of refugees and a largely destroyed infrastructure. Providing help to threatened and distressed Christians in this crisis region is therefore particularly important. ACN's support in the Middle East has two main objectives: firstly, to improve the dramatic humanitarian situation of the people caused by the war in Syria and the invasion of the IS in Iraq. Secondly, to the extent possible, ACN is helping to rebuild houses, churches and convents to help the Christian communities return home. The faithful repeatedly tell us that our help gives them the courage and the means to remain in their homeland.